Towering TBR (Part: September)

September came and went in a blink of an eye. It was a wonderful month of adventure and change, colorful leaves and cozy sweaters, and a lot of pumpkin spice. But it's time to see how tall my TBR is and if I'll get crushed by the time the ball drops on New Year's Eve... Let's go!

Starting TBR Count: 23

TBR Reads: 1

TBR DNFs: 1

Rereads: 2

Library Reads: 7

Books Purchased: 6

Books Gifted: 0

Final TBR Count: 21

Total TBR Books Checked Off This Year: 45

TBR Reads

The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed - DNF'd at 50%

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, but I got stuck in the middle and realized I didn't care about the plot or any of the characters. 

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - 5 stars

I can't believe it took me so long to read this. I still love the movies more since I fell in love with those first, but I loved the cozy fantasy writing and Bilbo Baggins means the whole world to me.

 

New Reads

Yours, Constance by Emily Hayse - 4 stars

Fairies in the roaring 20s with big parties and a mystery?? This is so excellent (even though I guessed the ending wrong so far in advance haha!)

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa - 4 stars

It was so wonderful to revisit the Morisaki Bookshop and see more of the characters! The prose is still a little clunky to read, but this would make the best cozy TV show.

Rereads

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa - 4 stars

I wanted to reread book 1 before I read the sequel and I had lots of fun! I still feel the same about the rating, but I do feel like I got more out of the story than the first time around.

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson - 5 stars

I read this book originally 5 years ago and had a huge urge to reread it. It was so good the second time around that I added an entire star to my rating. 

Library Reads

The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt - 4 stars

I devoured this delicious short novella during my lunch break and couldn't put it down. It's quirky, but super satisfying.

Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg by Gail Carson Levine - 5 stars

This story differs from all the Pixie Hollow fairy books, but it immediately became a new favorite. It's magical and dark, and really gets you into the nitty gritty of who the fairies truly are when their home is on the line.

In the Realm of the Never Fairies by Monique Peterson - 4 stars

The art in this information book is stunning and I loved learning all the little details about Pixie Hollow.

Space Boy Omibus 1-4 by Stephen McCranie - 4 stars

I binged the first 4 collections of this webcomic in 2 days and am really enjoying it (although it's a little darker but somehow cuter than I expected.)

Books Purchased

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

I loved these book earlier this year and finally decided to snag these books in the B&N exclusive covers!

The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Inheritance Games series has been a favorite of mine for YEARS and I am so excited to check out this spin-off!

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

My wonderful friend @dear_feely highly recommended this book to me and it looks absolutely amazing.

Tiger Lily and The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Midnight at the Electric was one of my top 5 reads this year and I knew I had to get my hands on more of this author's work.

September Thoughts

September is very much a transition month, and I really felt my reading being pulled between contemporary or literary for summer, and fairies and fantasy for autumn. I bought way more books than I meant to, but here we are haha! I really enjoyed every book I read this month even though one of my most anticipated reads was a dud. We are now entering the last quarter of the year and I'm so excited to see how many books I can finish in my towering TBR!

Until next time!

~K.J. Haakenson